‘Rainbow Warrior’ sailing into town
Greenpeace’s flagship to arrive in Port Klang
PETALING JAYA: Environmental group Greenpeace’s flagship, Rainbow Warrior, will be docking in Malaysia for the first time as it sails on a voyage around Asia on a global mission to spread the message on climate change.
The ship is expected to make its call at Port Klang tomorrow. It will anchor off the South Port until Tuesday.
Famous for its anti-whaling mission, Rainbow Warrior will be travelling from Singapore where it had moored since May 28.
It has also travelled to the Philippines and Indonesia.
The vessel currently has 15 crew members from 10 countries, including a Malaysian.
Greenpeace South-East Asia media consultant June Moh said in Malaysia, the arrival of the ship will also mark the official opening of its office in the country, which began operations last year.
“We are here to raise awareness of Greenpeace as well as to support Malaysia’s efforts on climate change action.
“In Malaysia, we will have a campaign against the harmful effects of excessive use of plastic,” she said here yesterday.
The country, she pointed out, is currently eighth in the world for plastic consumption.
The ship will be open to visitors and guided tours from 2pm tomorrow.
After Malaysia, the vessel will make its way to Phuket, Thailand.
First launched by Greenpeace 40 years ago, Rainbow Warrior is famous for its controversial anti-whaling and anti-nuclear efforts and was once bombed in New Zealand by French agents, during which a photographer was killed.
On July 10, 1985, Rainbow Warrior was docked in Auckland on its way to protest against French nuclear testing at Mururoa Atoll, about 1,200km south-east of Tahiti, when it was bombed.
Two days after the bombing, two of the agents who took part – Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur, who had posed as a couple of Swiss tourists – were arrested by New Zealand police and their identities revealed.
The French Defence Minister Charles Hernu was forced to resign.